Research Question: What can Finland do to improve in terms of special education? Author: Amanda Ward Article 1 Citation: Sundqvist, Christel, Désirée von Ahlefeld Nisser, and Kristina Ström. "Consultation In Special Needs Education In Sweden And Finland: A Comparative Approach." European Journal Of Special Needs Education 29.3 (2014): 297-312. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Nov. 2014. http://www-tandfonline-com.uri.idm.oclc.org/doi/pdf/10.1080/08856257.2014.908022 Summary: In 2011 the Finland national board of Education came into force to try and improve the education system. The board revised the law referencing pupil's right to receive support in education settings. The pupil's support was arranged at three different levels: general support, enhanced support, and special support. At the general support level, teachers have more responsibility to support the pupil and can change the materials and methods they use. At the enhanced support level, the focus is more on part-time special education needs and the individual receives guidance counseling and teacher consultation. Special support requires the same help as enhanced support but also involves co-teaching and flexibility. In addition to this, students who receive special support have an individual education plan that they follow.
To teach in Finland, one must acquire a master's degree. This applies to mainstream teachers and also special education teachers. There is also a special teacher education program at the postgraduate level. The programs for special teachers mainly concentrate on reading, writing, language, math, and behavioral issues. The do not focus on working cooperatively with other professionals much. The special teachers mainly work in regular schools and offer support to pupils who need more frequent or intensive help. They are mostly remedial teachers who can give direct support to pupils or can give help to small groups of pupils outside the classroom. Special teachers in Finland have a wide-ranging role and this causes Finland to suffer from a lack of research in the field of consultation in special education. Reaction: Although the overall education system in Finland was improved in 2011, I feel as if the special education portion is still not as advanced as it could be. The three different support levels do not really cover more sever cases of special pupils. I feel as if the special support level, where students receive individual education plans, would be most effective in helping pupils who are special needs. The other to categories, general support and enhanced support, are more for students who are not special needs but have some learning disabilities. It is unclear to me if Finland has classrooms for special needs students that are separate from general education classes. In addition to this, I feel as if special teachers should have a more specific and narrow role in classrooms when dealing with kids who have special needs. Similarly to Finland, Rhode Island schools also set out to improve their school systems. One way to achieve their goal of accelerating student performance would be by setting up support levels like Finland did. Article 2 Citation:Takala, Marjatta, and Astrid Ahl. "Special Education In Swedish And Finnish Schools: Seeing The Forest Or The Trees?." British Journal Of Special Education 41.1 (2014): 59-81. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2014 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.uri.idm.oclc.org/doi/10.1111/1467-8578.12049/full Summary: In Finnish schools special education is mostly provided to pupils who have difficulty with reading and writing. From 2008-2009, 8.5% of pupils were receiving full-time special education. This full-time special education could be received in either a special school or a special class. In addition to this, 22.8% of pupils were receiving part-time special education in regular classrooms. The Amendments to the Basic Education Act, proposed in 2010, specified that a pupil who has mild or moderate learning difficulties could receive support and part-time special education if need be. The part-time special education means that the student receives a general education with a few hours of special education each week. If the part-time special education is not enough for the pupil, then full-time special education is offered. Full-time special education is usually offered in a special class or special school. Finnish education policy-makers aim for inclusive schools and inclusive classrooms. Special class teachers teach in full-time special education where special teachers teach in part-time special education. Special class teachers and special teachers obtain almost the same teacher training, but special class teachers have achieved a class teacher degree. It seems that in the Finnish education system, support to pupils is often given by people who are not necessarily trained in special education issues. Reaction: Finnish schools should supply special education to more than just pupils who have difficulty in reading and writing. If a student struggles in math or science they do not receive special help. I think it is appropriate that students who need full-time special education receive it in a different school or classroom so that they can be the main focus of the teacher. Twenty-two point eight percent seems like a high amount of students to be receiving part time special education in mainstream classrooms. This could be because the diagnosis of who can receive part-time special education is so broad. It is unclear to me how sever of a learning disability must be to qualify a student to move from part-time special education to full-time education. Considering Finnish education policy makers aim for inclusive schools and classrooms, it is possible that some students who would need full-time special education in a separate class or school may not be receiving it. I also do not understand why there is such a small difference between special class teachers and special teachers. I feel as if the qualifications and requirements for all teachers specializing in special education should be the same. Rhode Island schools cannot really benefit from providing special education to students who struggle with reading and writing because the reading and writing is fine, it is science and math that students are struggling with. They could consider the special education that Finland gives its pupils and give it to students who have problems learning math and science. Article 3 Citation: Takala, M., Pirttimaa, R. and Törmänen, M. (2009), RESEARCH SECTION: Inclusive special education: the role of special education teachers in Finland. British Journal of Special Education, 36: 162–173. doi: 10.1111/ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8578.2009.00432.x/full Summary: In Finland the official education policy is inclusion, meaning the goal is to have one school that is suitable for all pupils. This policy results in teachers teaching in a diverse class with pupils who have a variety of individual needs when it comes to learning. The part-time special education program is a big support of the inclusion policy. If a student participates in the part-time special education program, neither an individual education plan or official decisions are required. This is because it is a temporary program for pupils that only occupies half of their school day, allowing them to remain in mainstream education. According to the PISA, educational results of Finnish pupils are successful and a possible factor of this is the part-time special education. When difficulties are noticed, early intervention and early support are offered immediately. First help is offered in the form of support teaching which is provided by the students class teacher. Then if this is not enough, the student will have access to services of a special education teacher. In most cases, the student will remain in mainstream education and receive help from a special education teacher on a weekly basis. In cases that this is not enough and the pupil has severe learning difficulties, full-time special eduction could be suggested. Special education teachers have very demanding work that they often have to do alone. The work they are required to do is unlimited and there is no regular support system for them. Reaction: Inclusion is not alway a great option for pupils. One school may not always be suitable for all pupils considering the wide range of learning disabilities that could occur. The part-time special education program does not seem like it would be able to reach out to all students experiencing learning disabilities. It seems like the part-time special education program reaches out in general to students struggling with school, not just students who have a disability which could be frustrating for kids who really need the help. It is good that early intervention and support are offered right when difficulties are noticed so that students wont get more lost in education as time goes on. Special education teachers should have a support system and regular help available to them. Their works should also be narrowed down more. Rhode Island could improve its schools by focusing on early learning programs like Finland does and try to help pupils as soon as a problem is noticed. Another thing that Rhode Island schools could take away from Finland would not to overwhelm teachers. They could try to supply more of a support system to teachers. Article 4 Citation: Malinen, O., Väisänen, P., & Savolainen, H. (2012). Teacher education in Finland: a review of a national effort for preparing teachers for the future. Curriculum Journal, 23(4), 567-584. doi:10.1080/09585176.2012.731011 http://web.b.ebscohost.com.uri.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=12&sid=6e38baa8-8b39-4fb5-aedb-3c9a73143097%40sessionmgr113&hid=101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=84921000 Summary: The quality and role of teacher education in the Finnish education system ensures good learning outcomes in schools. Higher rankings in school systems can not be achieved by simply remodeling Finnish practices in another culture with different geographical conditions. There are different teacher education programs for primary-school teachers and subject teachers. These different programs reflect the structure of the Finnish school system. Finnish class teachers, who are mostly primary-school teachers, must major in educational science. This major must include 60 ECTS credits of 'teachers pedagogical studies'. In addition to this, it is believed that practice teaching is one of the most essential methods for student teachers for developing core skills and expertise. The skills acquired through practice teaching are dynamic combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and personal characteristics. The personal characteristics that teachers have should lead them to act professionally and appropriately in any situation. For teachers, there is a high emphasis on supporting the learning of pupils who struggle to succeed in school and may have learning disabilities. Training new special education teachers provides in-service training to teachers. This makes the education system more flexible when responding to the diversity of students in class. Reaction: It is favorable that the quality of teachers is so high in the Finnish education system. Having high quality teachers ensures that good outcomes will occur from classrooms. There are also high requirements for people who want to become teachers which is another important step. With high requirements, only individuals who truly want to be teachers will become them. In addition to the requirements of majoring in educational science, potential teachers must go through practice teaching to learn specific skill sets. Going through this process gives the individual time to find their own teaching style while also acquiring skills and knowledge that are important in teaching. With experience, knowledge, and completion of the educational science major the quality of teachers in Finland is very high. Having high quality teachers is an important step in improving the learning and overall knowledge of students. Rhode Island schools could hold teachers to the same standard as Finland does. They could reach their goal of having all students be supported by educators who demonstrate effective performance if they raise the standards of who can become a teacher. By making the standards higher of who can become a teacher and raising the requirements, only people who truly want to teach and would be good at it will become teachers and will end up improving the Rhode Island school system overall. This would also reach the goal of all educators being effective and committed to accelerating student performance. Article 5 Citation: "Special Needs Education within the Education System - Finland."European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
https://www.european-agency.org/country-information/finland/national-overview/special-needs-education-within-the-education-system Summary: The Finnish school system starts with pre-school education. The goal of pre-school is to promote the child's growth, development in physical, psychological, social, cognitive, and emotional areas and prevent any difficulties that could arise. In children who suffer from illness, disability, or reduced functional ability special supported pre-schools are offered. In children's preschool classes, the environment is designed to enable kids to participate in group activities as fully as possible. After pre-school pre-primary education is offered. The basic support at this level are the categories of general support, intensified support, and special support. There is special attention focused on students learning abilities and students must realize the responsibility of their learning, objectives they must set, and assessment of education. If a student needs support in terms of learning there is cooperation between teachers by modifying groups. Pupils who need regular support or need support in several forms must be provided with intensified support and a learning plan. This intensified support is provided when general support is not enough. Intensified support is planned for pupils individually. It is more intense and persistent than general support. Part-time special needs education plays a more prominent role by giving individual guidance counseling and requires home-school cooperation. The support must be organized according to each pupil's developmental phase and needs. During intensified support, the pupil's learning and school attendance must be monitored and assessed regularly. The learning plan drawn up for the student receiving intensified support must be in agreement with his or her parents or guardians. Special support is provided for pupils who can't achieve the development and learning objectives through other support systems. The special support consists of special needs education. For the most severely disabled, the focus is on their motor skills, language, communication, social skills, and cognitive skills. Reaction: It is important that special supported preschools are offered to children who have disabilities. These children need the same opportunities to advance developmentally as other children. Group activities are an important aspect in the development of young children. At the pre-primary level I like that there are three levels of general support are offered. I also think it is smart to establish the responsibilities, objectives, and assessments of their education at such a young age. This will help them to treat school more seriously later on in life. Based on the three levels of support offered, it seems that general support is mostly for kids who don't do very well in school but also don't have a learning disability. At the next step up of intensified learning, I think it is good that they offer students who need regular support a learning plan. This will help the student focus on his or her own learning goals and will help them not fall behind. I also like that the intensified learning plan refers to not only the plan for the student at school but also the plan that should be based at home. The next step up of special support is only for children who are the most severely disabled. This support level seems to focus on almost the same things as the pre-school education level. Both are focused on development in social skills, cognitive skills, and communication. Rhode Islands goal of student achievement reaches the same standards of Finland's. Rhode island bases the student achievement on equity, accountability, effectiveness, and stewardship. Both Finland and Rhode Island base their early childhood education on preparing pupils with basic skills and later schooling. Rhode Island could base their preschool classes off of Finland's idea of group activities being very fundamentally important. Moving on from preschool, kids who suffer developmentally are offered three levels of support in Finland which Rhode Island should consider doing to achieve their student performance goals.
Overall Reaction to Your Research
What did your research teach you about your original question? How would you sum up what you've learned?
My research on the special education programs in Finland taught me a lot on how they handle pupils with disabilities. I found it very interesting that for the most part they try to have an all inclusive school system and that they only have kids who have somewhat severe learning troubles goto different schools or see exclusive teachers. This could be a problem considering some pupils who could really benefit from one on one time with a teacher may not be able to get it. In addition to the inclusive school system they have three levels of help offered to students which are general support, intensified support, and special support. These levels seem to be doing a good job assisting pupils considering Finland is ranked as one of the best school systems. Although these levels seem to be working out, I still think that one on one time and counseling is important for kids with learning difficulties and should be offered at all levels of the help. Teachers in Finland are held to a much higher standard than teachers in America. The process to become a teacher in is more intense and requires more dedication and time. This guarantees better results in classrooms considering the pupils will be receiving an education from someone who knows and cares about their profession. Keeping this in mind, I believe that teachers in Finland who teach special ed or are part time assistants with children who have disabilities should be offered more help. Often times the work they have to do is overwhelming and they do not receive much help. Overall the Finland education system is very good but there are some things that they could possibly consider changing.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
How does what you learned in your research inform efforts to reform schools in Rhode Island?
Certain aspects of the Finnish school system could help in the efforts to reform schools in Rhode Island. One major aspect that Rhode Island wants to reform in their school systems is the standards and developments of teachers. Finland holds their teachers to much higher standards than Rhode Island does. It is a harder and longer process to graduate and become a teacher. They must go through college, obtain a masters degree, and then practice teaching before they can become an actual teacher. Finland believes that this makes their teachers more skilled in the knowledge, skills, attitude, and personal characteristics that it takes to become a great teacher. With Rhode Island looking to reform the effectiveness of their teachers towards student achievements this could definitely be a way to help. Another goal that this would help Rhode Island achieve would be in the development of leaders. In recruiting, preparing, and placing teachers, it would be much easier and more effective if all the leaders were held to a higher standard to begin with so that leaders who are not up to par would not be hired. In addition to improving the standards that teachers are held to, another aspect of Finland schools that could help reform Rhode Island schools is the special help levels offered to Finnish students. The three levels of help that Finland offers its pupils help raise student achievement and create a more inclusive school system that Rhode Island could base their schools off of. The student achievement goals based off of equity, accountability, effectiveness, and stewardship can all be attained by creating better help and support systems for students with disabilities and also by raising the standards of who can teach in classrooms.
Author: Amanda Ward
Article 1
Citation: Sundqvist, Christel, Désirée von Ahlefeld Nisser, and Kristina Ström. "Consultation In Special Needs Education In Sweden And Finland: A Comparative Approach." European Journal Of Special Needs Education 29.3 (2014): 297-312. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Nov. 2014.
http://www-tandfonline-com.uri.idm.oclc.org/doi/pdf/10.1080/08856257.2014.908022
Summary: In 2011 the Finland national board of Education came into force to try and improve the education system. The board revised the law referencing pupil's right to receive support in education settings. The pupil's support was arranged at three different levels: general support, enhanced support, and special support. At the general support level, teachers have more responsibility to support the pupil and can change the materials and methods they use. At the enhanced support level, the focus is more on part-time special education needs and the individual receives guidance counseling and teacher consultation. Special support requires the same help as enhanced support but also involves co-teaching and flexibility. In addition to this, students who receive special support have an individual education plan that they follow.
To teach in Finland, one must acquire a master's degree. This applies to mainstream teachers and also special education teachers. There is also a special teacher education program at the postgraduate level. The programs for special teachers mainly concentrate on reading, writing, language, math, and behavioral issues. The do not focus on working cooperatively with other professionals much. The special teachers mainly work in regular schools and offer support to pupils who need more frequent or intensive help. They are mostly remedial teachers who can give direct support to pupils or can give help to small groups of pupils outside the classroom. Special teachers in Finland have a wide-ranging role and this causes Finland to suffer from a lack of research in the field of consultation in special education.
Reaction: Although the overall education system in Finland was improved in 2011, I feel as if the special education portion is still not as advanced as it could be. The three different support levels do not really cover more sever cases of special pupils. I feel as if the special support level, where students receive individual education plans, would be most effective in helping pupils who are special needs. The other to categories, general support and enhanced support, are more for students who are not special needs but have some learning disabilities. It is unclear to me if Finland has classrooms for special needs students that are separate from general education classes. In addition to this, I feel as if special teachers should have a more specific and narrow role in classrooms when dealing with kids who have special needs. Similarly to Finland, Rhode Island schools also set out to improve their school systems. One way to achieve their goal of accelerating student performance would be by setting up support levels like Finland did.
Article 2
Citation: Takala, Marjatta, and Astrid Ahl. "Special Education In Swedish And Finnish Schools: Seeing The Forest Or The Trees?." British Journal Of Special Education 41.1 (2014): 59-81. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2014
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.uri.idm.oclc.org/doi/10.1111/1467-8578.12049/full
Summary: In Finnish schools special education is mostly provided to pupils who have difficulty with reading and writing. From 2008-2009, 8.5% of pupils were receiving full-time special education. This full-time special education could be received in either a special school or a special class. In addition to this, 22.8% of pupils were receiving part-time special education in regular classrooms. The Amendments to the Basic Education Act, proposed in 2010, specified that a pupil who has mild or moderate learning difficulties could receive support and part-time special education if need be. The part-time special education means that the student receives a general education with a few hours of special education each week. If the part-time special education is not enough for the pupil, then full-time special education is offered. Full-time special education is usually offered in a special class or special school.
Finnish education policy-makers aim for inclusive schools and inclusive classrooms. Special class teachers teach in full-time special education where special teachers teach in part-time special education. Special class teachers and special teachers obtain almost the same teacher training, but special class teachers have achieved a class teacher degree. It seems that in the Finnish education system, support to pupils is often given by people who are not necessarily trained in special education issues.
Reaction: Finnish schools should supply special education to more than just pupils who have difficulty in reading and writing. If a student struggles in math or science they do not receive special help. I think it is appropriate that students who need full-time special education receive it in a different school or classroom so that they can be the main focus of the teacher. Twenty-two point eight percent seems like a high amount of students to be receiving part time special education in mainstream classrooms. This could be because the diagnosis of who can receive part-time special education is so broad. It is unclear to me how sever of a learning disability must be to qualify a student to move from part-time special education to full-time education. Considering Finnish education policy makers aim for inclusive schools and classrooms, it is possible that some students who would need full-time special education in a separate class or school may not be receiving it. I also do not understand why there is such a small difference between special class teachers and special teachers. I feel as if the qualifications and requirements for all teachers specializing in special education should be the same. Rhode Island schools cannot really benefit from providing special education to students who struggle with reading and writing because the reading and writing is fine, it is science and math that students are struggling with. They could consider the special education that Finland gives its pupils and give it to students who have problems learning math and science.
Article 3
Citation:
Takala, M., Pirttimaa, R. and Törmänen, M. (2009), RESEARCH SECTION: Inclusive special education: the role of special education teachers in Finland. British Journal of Special Education, 36: 162–173. doi: 10.1111/
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8578.2009.00432.x/full
Summary: In Finland the official education policy is inclusion, meaning the goal is to have one school that is suitable for all pupils. This policy results in teachers teaching in a diverse class with pupils who have a variety of individual needs when it comes to learning. The part-time special education program is a big support of the inclusion policy. If a student participates in the part-time special education program, neither an individual education plan or official decisions are required. This is because it is a temporary program for pupils that only occupies half of their school day, allowing them to remain in mainstream education. According to the PISA, educational results of Finnish pupils are successful and a possible factor of this is the part-time special education. When difficulties are noticed, early intervention and early support are offered immediately. First help is offered in the form of support teaching which is provided by the students class teacher. Then if this is not enough, the student will have access to services of a special education teacher. In most cases, the student will remain in mainstream education and receive help from a special education teacher on a weekly basis. In cases that this is not enough and the pupil has severe learning difficulties, full-time special eduction could be suggested. Special education teachers have very demanding work that they often have to do alone. The work they are required to do is unlimited and there is no regular support system for them.
Reaction: Inclusion is not alway a great option for pupils. One school may not always be suitable for all pupils considering the wide range of learning disabilities that could occur. The part-time special education program does not seem like it would be able to reach out to all students experiencing learning disabilities. It seems like the part-time special education program reaches out in general to students struggling with school, not just students who have a disability which could be frustrating for kids who really need the help. It is good that early intervention and support are offered right when difficulties are noticed so that students wont get more lost in education as time goes on. Special education teachers should have a support system and regular help available to them. Their works should also be narrowed down more. Rhode Island could improve its schools by focusing on early learning programs like Finland does and try to help pupils as soon as a problem is noticed. Another thing that Rhode Island schools could take away from Finland would not to overwhelm teachers. They could try to supply more of a support system to teachers.
Article 4
Citation:
Malinen, O., Väisänen, P., & Savolainen, H. (2012). Teacher education in Finland: a review of a national effort for preparing teachers for the future. Curriculum Journal, 23(4), 567-584. doi:10.1080/09585176.2012.731011
http://web.b.ebscohost.com.uri.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=12&sid=6e38baa8-8b39-4fb5-aedb-3c9a73143097%40sessionmgr113&hid=101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=84921000
Summary: The quality and role of teacher education in the Finnish education system ensures good learning outcomes in schools. Higher rankings in school systems can not be achieved by simply remodeling Finnish practices in another culture with different geographical conditions. There are different teacher education programs for primary-school teachers and subject teachers. These different programs reflect the structure of the Finnish school system. Finnish class teachers, who are mostly primary-school teachers, must major in educational science. This major must include 60 ECTS credits of 'teachers pedagogical studies'. In addition to this, it is believed that practice teaching is one of the most essential methods for student teachers for developing core skills and expertise. The skills acquired through practice teaching are dynamic combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and personal characteristics. The personal characteristics that teachers have should lead them to act professionally and appropriately in any situation. For teachers, there is a high emphasis on supporting the learning of pupils who struggle to succeed in school and may have learning disabilities. Training new special education teachers provides in-service training to teachers. This makes the education system more flexible when responding to the diversity of students in class.
Reaction: It is favorable that the quality of teachers is so high in the Finnish education system. Having high quality teachers ensures that good outcomes will occur from classrooms. There are also high requirements for people who want to become teachers which is another important step. With high requirements, only individuals who truly want to be teachers will become them. In addition to the requirements of majoring in educational science, potential teachers must go through practice teaching to learn specific skill sets. Going through this process gives the individual time to find their own teaching style while also acquiring skills and knowledge that are important in teaching. With experience, knowledge, and completion of the educational science major the quality of teachers in Finland is very high. Having high quality teachers is an important step in improving the learning and overall knowledge of students. Rhode Island schools could hold teachers to the same standard as Finland does. They could reach their goal of having all students be supported by educators who demonstrate effective performance if they raise the standards of who can become a teacher. By making the standards higher of who can become a teacher and raising the requirements, only people who truly want to teach and would be good at it will become teachers and will end up improving the Rhode Island school system overall. This would also reach the goal of all educators being effective and committed to accelerating student performance.
Article 5
Citation:
"Special Needs Education within the Education System - Finland."European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
https://www.european-agency.org/country-information/finland/national-overview/special-needs-education-within-the-education-system
Summary: The Finnish school system starts with pre-school education. The goal of pre-school is to promote the child's growth, development in physical, psychological, social, cognitive, and emotional areas and prevent any difficulties that could arise. In children who suffer from illness, disability, or reduced functional ability special supported pre-schools are offered. In children's preschool classes, the environment is designed to enable kids to participate in group activities as fully as possible. After pre-school pre-primary education is offered. The basic support at this level are the categories of general support, intensified support, and special support. There is special attention focused on students learning abilities and students must realize the responsibility of their learning, objectives they must set, and assessment of education. If a student needs support in terms of learning there is cooperation between teachers by modifying groups. Pupils who need regular support or need support in several forms must be provided with intensified support and a learning plan. This intensified support is provided when general support is not enough. Intensified support is planned for pupils individually. It is more intense and persistent than general support. Part-time special needs education plays a more prominent role by giving individual guidance counseling and requires home-school cooperation. The support must be organized according to each pupil's developmental phase and needs. During intensified support, the pupil's learning and school attendance must be monitored and assessed regularly. The learning plan drawn up for the student receiving intensified support must be in agreement with his or her parents or guardians. Special support is provided for pupils who can't achieve the development and learning objectives through other support systems. The special support consists of special needs education. For the most severely disabled, the focus is on their motor skills, language, communication, social skills, and cognitive skills.
Reaction: It is important that special supported preschools are offered to children who have disabilities. These children need the same opportunities to advance developmentally as other children. Group activities are an important aspect in the development of young children. At the pre-primary level I like that there are three levels of general support are offered. I also think it is smart to establish the responsibilities, objectives, and assessments of their education at such a young age. This will help them to treat school more seriously later on in life. Based on the three levels of support offered, it seems that general support is mostly for kids who don't do very well in school but also don't have a learning disability. At the next step up of intensified learning, I think it is good that they offer students who need regular support a learning plan. This will help the student focus on his or her own learning goals and will help them not fall behind. I also like that the intensified learning plan refers to not only the plan for the student at school but also the plan that should be based at home. The next step up of special support is only for children who are the most severely disabled. This support level seems to focus on almost the same things as the pre-school education level. Both are focused on development in social skills, cognitive skills, and communication. Rhode Islands goal of student achievement reaches the same standards of Finland's. Rhode island bases the student achievement on equity, accountability, effectiveness, and stewardship. Both Finland and Rhode Island base their early childhood education on preparing pupils with basic skills and later schooling. Rhode Island could base their preschool classes off of Finland's idea of group activities being very fundamentally important. Moving on from preschool, kids who suffer developmentally are offered three levels of support in Finland which Rhode Island should consider doing to achieve their student performance goals.
Overall Reaction to Your Research
What did your research teach you about your original question? How would you sum up what you've learned?My research on the special education programs in Finland taught me a lot on how they handle pupils with disabilities. I found it very interesting that for the most part they try to have an all inclusive school system and that they only have kids who have somewhat severe learning troubles goto different schools or see exclusive teachers. This could be a problem considering some pupils who could really benefit from one on one time with a teacher may not be able to get it. In addition to the inclusive school system they have three levels of help offered to students which are general support, intensified support, and special support. These levels seem to be doing a good job assisting pupils considering Finland is ranked as one of the best school systems. Although these levels seem to be working out, I still think that one on one time and counseling is important for kids with learning difficulties and should be offered at all levels of the help. Teachers in Finland are held to a much higher standard than teachers in America. The process to become a teacher in is more intense and requires more dedication and time. This guarantees better results in classrooms considering the pupils will be receiving an education from someone who knows and cares about their profession. Keeping this in mind, I believe that teachers in Finland who teach special ed or are part time assistants with children who have disabilities should be offered more help. Often times the work they have to do is overwhelming and they do not receive much help. Overall the Finland education system is very good but there are some things that they could possibly consider changing.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
How does what you learned in your research inform efforts to reform schools in Rhode Island?Certain aspects of the Finnish school system could help in the efforts to reform schools in Rhode Island. One major aspect that Rhode Island wants to reform in their school systems is the standards and developments of teachers. Finland holds their teachers to much higher standards than Rhode Island does. It is a harder and longer process to graduate and become a teacher. They must go through college, obtain a masters degree, and then practice teaching before they can become an actual teacher. Finland believes that this makes their teachers more skilled in the knowledge, skills, attitude, and personal characteristics that it takes to become a great teacher. With Rhode Island looking to reform the effectiveness of their teachers towards student achievements this could definitely be a way to help. Another goal that this would help Rhode Island achieve would be in the development of leaders. In recruiting, preparing, and placing teachers, it would be much easier and more effective if all the leaders were held to a higher standard to begin with so that leaders who are not up to par would not be hired. In addition to improving the standards that teachers are held to, another aspect of Finland schools that could help reform Rhode Island schools is the special help levels offered to Finnish students. The three levels of help that Finland offers its pupils help raise student achievement and create a more inclusive school system that Rhode Island could base their schools off of. The student achievement goals based off of equity, accountability, effectiveness, and stewardship can all be attained by creating better help and support systems for students with disabilities and also by raising the standards of who can teach in classrooms.